Iquo B. Essien

With a BS in biology from Stanford, Iquo began her career at a communications firm helping influential global health clients like the CDC and NIH raise public awareness of critical issues such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and child mortality. Driven to combine her passion for social change and the arts, she earned her MFA in film from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, where she launched her first fundraising campaign that raised $15,000 in 4 weeks for her short film, AISSA'S STORY. The experience unlocked a passion for helping people raise money. Since then, she has served a range of artist, nonprofit, and corporate clients.

Iquo created Crowdfund Your Dream, an online course and fundraising consultancy, to help women and BIPOC founders raise up to $500K to fund their businesses, leaning into their culture factor and the communities they serve. Iquo formerly served as Communications & Marketing Manager of Hook Arts Media, Communications and Marketing Director of Culture Project, Content & Marketing Director of Opportunity Lab, and Strategy Consultant for Public Equity Group. Her films have been screened in 14 countries around the globe, and her production company, Editi Films, is fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas.